Amusement Park Indeed
by Fandoomed
Summary: The kids from Whammy's get to go on a trip to an amusement park. Matt gets Near and Mello to go on a roller coaster with him. They don't know what they are getting into.


Mello bit off the end of his chocolate bar and surveyed the scene before him. It was a perfect sunny day and the delighted screams of children filled the air. Whammy's kids were scattered all around the theme park, all enjoying their day off. Once every year, the kids from Whammy's got to go to an amusement park as a reward for all of their hard work. As Watari himself had said, they were after all children. And children need to play. This little tradition had started with with the second generation. After realizing the immense pressure that had been put on the kids, especially after the incidents with A and B, the orphanage had decided to try easing back a bit.

V and J ran in front of Mello, squirting each other with plastic water guns. D giggled as she was handed an oversized plush panda bear. Y and R munched on cherry sno cones, dripping red syrup down the fronts of their shirts. Mello continued scanning the crowd until he realized who he was looking for.

Where was Near?

Mello walked between the venders and the booths looking for his young adversary. Finally reaching the end of the lane, he spotted a group of benches circling a fountain. O was laying on one of the benches reading The Lord of the Rings. Near was across from him sitting on the edge of the fountain. He twirled a piece of his hair between his fingers and stared down at his puzzle.

"Near."

"Mello." Near responded without even looking up. Mello sat down by the fountain and stared at his reflection in the water. The image of his face was distorted by the splash of an incoming object. Mello watched at the penny sunk to the bottom. He turned to see Matt take a swig of orange cream soda from a glass bottle. He grinned.

"Mello, mi amigo!" He said sitting down. "Sup Near," he said nodding in Near's direction.

"Hello Matt." Near replied, again without looking up. Matt finished his drink and set it in the fountain pushing it around like a boat.

"You guys enjoying yourselves?"

"As much as one can," Near said laying several pieces of his puzzle down. Mello nodded and took another bite of his chocolate. Matt was silent for a moment when a mischievous grin spread across his face.

"Have either of you been on The Voltage yet?" Mello shrugged his shoulders.

"I dunno what is it?" Matt pointed to the ride towering above them in the sky. After a steep drop it appeared to whip back and forth and then go into several loops and twists. The people riding it were all screaming.

"Why would I do that Matt? Near asked. Matt laughed.

"Because it's fun, duh. Not that I'd expect you to know anything about that. But only the toughest can ride it. No babies. It's really a great way to prove who's better."

"Better at what, holding your lunch?" Near asked sarcastically. But Matt knew he had his attention. Mello was also leaned forward, looking intent.

"I guess if you guys are too chicken though, you should probably just forget about it."

"I'M not a CHICKEN!" Mello yelled standing up. "I'll do it!"

Near put down the last piece of his puzzle and stood up. "I guess we'll all be going then. Presuming you are going with us." He said to Matt. Matt chuckled.

"Oh I wouldn't miss this for the world."

The line had been long but they finally reached the front. The man in charge of the tickets told Mello that food was not allowed on the ride. Begrudgingly, he took a large mouthful and threw the rest away. Mello and Near ended up in the same car, neither looking very happy about it. Matt was by himself in the car in front of them.

"Hey Mello, do me a favor. When you through up that chocolate bar, please aim away from me."

"Hey! Who said I was gonna be the one throwing up!" The man cam over and pulled the bar down over their laps, securing it in place. The two saw Matt pull his orange goggles up over his eyes. With a jolt, the machine started moving forward. Matt pulled out a cigarette and lit it, placing it between his teeth. He turned and grinned at the two boys.

"Hey, where'd you get that Matt? You know Watari doesn't permit smoking!" Matt shrugged.

"He's not here right now. And what harm is it anyways?"

"Oh it's only turning your lungs black with tar is all." Near said. Matt rolled his eyes. The coaster started on its trek up the steep track. Near and Mello both gripped the bar in front of them. Mello looked out but then quickly stopped himself.

"Wow we're really high." He said to himself. He looked over and saw Near staring into his lap. "Hey Near, you afraid of heights?" He jeered, his voice sounding shaky.

"Right." Near replied.

"You guys ready!? The drops coming up now!" Matt yelled back to them. Indeed, people at the front of the ride had already started screaming. Matt leaned forward in his seat as his car reached the top. At that moment, everything seemed to slow down. Both Mello and Near's eyes widened as they stared down the impossible drop before them. Near shook

"Oh,"

"ShiiiAAAAHHHHH!" Mello screamed. The two braced themselves as their car was whipped down. Had Matt been paying attention to the noise behind him, he would have described it as the screaming of two small girls. They were thrown back and forth in their seats. Eventually they ended up clinging to each other as if the they were a lifeline. Matt threw his arms up in the air and laughed manically, his cigarette flying between Near and Mello's heads. Mello felt sick. Near had never uttered a sound so loud in his life. After what seemed like an eternity of heart stopping terror, the ride pulled to an abrupt stop. Near sat with his mouth hanging open, eyes wide. Mello turned and threw up over the side of the track. After both regained their composure they shakily got out. They stood beside each other for a second.

"We will speak to no one about this experience." Mello muttered down to Near.

"Agreed."

Matt hopped nimbly out of his cart and pulled off his goggles.

"Well boys how was that?"

"I prefer to keep myself grounded thanks." Said Near. Matt laughed and wiped a bug off of his goggles.

"Well I'm just glad..."

They never found out what Matt was glad about because at that moment he was bent over laughing uncontrollably. Mello raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

Matt staggered towards a screen by the front of the lines, still laughing. Mello's heart stopped when he saw what Matt was laughing at. On the screen was a picture of him and Near. Both of their mouths were open screaming, eyes wide in fear. Near was clinging to Mello's arm. Mello looked slightly green and was holding his free arm up in defense. Matt gleefully purchased a copy of the photo.

"Hey! Give that back!" Mello shouted running towards him. Matt stuck an unlit cigarette in his mouth.

"Fifty dollars."

"What?"

"Give me fifty dollars."

"I'm not paying you fifty dollars Matt, give it back."

Matt stuck the photo in his pocket. "It's technically mine since I bought it. And if you aren't willing to pay for it, then you must not want it that badly." Mello's jaw dropped. Matt started to walk away.

"I will see you guys later. I need to make a quick run to the copier. A piece of work such as this must be shown to all."

Mello fumed. "Matt, I swear I'll, I'll..." Near was suddenly by his side. He clicked his tongue disapprovingly.

"Mello, you are stupid. Do you not know anything about blackmail?" Mello looked down at his seven year old friend. What was he rambling on about with blackmail?

"What do you mean Near?"

Near smiled. "I don't think Watari would be to happy to here that Matt's smoking. Do you?" From a distance they could see Matt lighting himself up another smoke. Realization of Near's words dawned on Mello and he grinned mischievously.

"You know Near, if you weren't such a twit-headed big mouth all the time, I think we might work well together."

Near was silent for a moment.

"You better get moving then Mello, I dislike the picture just as much as you do. And I would hate for anyone else to see it. Burn it when you do get the chance."

Mello pulled out another chocolate bar and snapped off the edge, handing a piece to Near.

"Just this once."

Near took it carefully and stared at it as if not sure what to do with it. Mello took a bite himself and smiled.

Apparently all he needed was a little blackmail to make his day.


End file.
